ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – A walk-off double by freshman Ethan Bloom (Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates) helped Lewis baseball split a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader with UW-Parkside on Wednesday (April 1) afternoon at Brennan Field. Lewis lost game one 5-3 but bounced back in game two 6-5.

Game One – UW-Parkside 5, Lewis 3 (HTML Box / PDF Box)
The Flyers had only five hits in game one, but two were home runs. Junior Kurt Becker (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) had a solo shot in the second to tie the game at one. Junior Cale Robinson (Weldon, Ill./Clinton)'s solo home run in the seventh put Lewis within three runs at 5-2. Lewis made it a 5-3 game on an RBI double by junior Joe Sparacio (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) in the eighth. Senior Mike Barajas (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth) followed with a single to put the tying runs on base, but UW-Parkside changed their pitcher and two groundouts followed to end the threat.

In the ninth, Lewis had the tying runs in scoring position with two outs but a groundout left them stranded.

Josh Serio went 7.1 innings for the win for UW-Parkside. He is now 3-2. John Perez threw the final 1.2 innings for his second save of the year. Lewis starter freshman Dalton Hottle (Monmouth, Ill./Monmouth-Roseville) allowed five runs in 6.2 innings. His record is now 0-1. Lewis' bullpen held UW-Parkside scoreless for the final 3.1 innings.
 
Game Two – Lewis 6, UW-Parkside 5 (HTML Box / PDF Box)
Lewis saved the heroics for the nightcap. The Flyers fell behind 2-0 after three innings in the seven-inning second game. Bloom singled in a run in the fourth to cut the deficit in half. It was a 3-1 game entering the bottom of the sixth when Lewis put up three runs. First it was a home run by junior Austin Mastela (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) with one out in the inning to make it 3-2. Two singles followed and then the Flyers went to pinch hitter senior Mark Kornacker (Lemont, Ill./Lemont). He took a 1-2 pitch to right field for a game tying double.
 
"That is a senior stepping up," Lewis head coach Tim McDonough said. "Mark felt like the right guy in the moment." 
 
Senior Kane Lombardo (Forest Park, Ill./Nazareth) grounded out on the next play to force the fourth run home. Lewis took the 4-3 lead to the seventh, but couldn't hold it. UW-Parkside scored a pair to grab a 5-4 advantage.

Barajas opened the bottom of the seventh with a single. Sparacio laid down a sacrifice bunt but the Rangers threw to second to try to get Barajas. The throw was late, putting runners on first and second. Becker followed with a sacrifice bunt and this time a UW-Parkside throwing error allowed him to reach first safely, loading the bases. Mastela worked a full count and delivered a deep fly ball to center field, easily scoring the game-tying run in the form of Barajas. Bloom came to the plate two batters later and took the second pitch he saw over the center fielder's head for a game-winning RBI double.

"We gave up the lead in the top of the seventh but all year long we've done a good job of coming back when our backs are against the wall," McDonough said. "We did it again today. It was good to see."

Sophomore Sam Couch (Bolingbrook, Ill./Joliet Catholic) earned the win to move his record to 1-1. Joseph Plaud suffered the loss for the Rangers, he is 0-3.

Bloom finished with three hits in the game. Mastela had two RBI, two runs scored and two hits.

UW-Parkside is now 6-11 (5-9 GLVC). Lewis is 9-13 (5-9 GLVC). The Flyers hit the road this weekend, playing a GLVC series at Bellarmine starting on Friday (April 3).